Podcast Summary: Hoy por Hoy

Episode: Las 8 de Hoy por Hoy | El hospital de Torrejón ordenaba reutilizar material sanitario de un solo uso para abaratar costes
Date: December 5, 2025
Host: SER Podcast
Key Voices: Javier del Pino, Sergio Soto, Javier Carrera, Ángeles Blanco, and correspondents

Overview

This episode of Hoy por Hoy centers on a major controversy surrounding the Hospital de Torrejón, where management allegedly ordered the illegal and unsafe reuse of single-use sanitary materials to cut costs. The episode uses this breaking story as a lens to discuss broader issues in healthcare management, political accountability, and party tensions, but also covers pressing political developments, election campaigns in Extremadura, cases of corruption, the handling of sexual harassment allegations within the PSOE, and significant judicial and cultural news.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Hospital de Torrejón Controversy

[00:11-04:20]

• Main Story: Hospital de Torrejón, managed by Ribera Salud, reportedly instructed staff to sterilize and reuse catheters designed for single-use, potentially up to ten times, contradicting medical guidelines and legal standards.
  • Javier del Pino describes the unambiguous labeling on the catheters and the illegal practice of their reuse.
• Whistleblower Impact: Four hospital directors raised alarms about these illegal cost-cutting strategies, only to be dismissed days later by the company.
  • Sergio Soto emphasizes that even the company now denies such practices despite internal and public denunciations (01:16).
• Broader Complaints: Over 260 professionals previously signed a detailed manifesto denouncing pressures to prioritize 'profitable' patients over others and a general decline in care quality.
  • Javier Carrera details the extent and gravity of the complaints, including direct incentives for unethical practices (01:54).
• Government Response: The Ministry of Health announces a formal inspection and calls for further investigations in similar privately managed public hospitals.
  • Sergio Soto summarizes the response and includes political calls for audits: "Ese tipo de manifestaciones, ese tipo de conductas son contrarias a los principios básicos..." (03:27, Josué Coello, quoting Feijóo).
• Political Standoff: The Ayuso government denies evidence of contract violations, while her Economy Secretary defends the hospital's performance based on low waiting times.
  • Rocío Albert: "49 días frente a la media nacional, que es de 116 días..." (04:00).

Notable Quote

“Eran hasta 260 profesionales que se quejaban de que la calidad del servicio empeoraba en lo más básico, de que los intentaban forzar a priorizar a los pacientes más rentables y así dejar sin atención a los baratos.”
— Javier del Pino (01:35)

2. Accelerated Penal Code Reform and Political Dynamics

[04:33-06:11]

• Political Realignment: PSOE, PP, Junts, PNV, and Vox collaborate to expedite reforms toughening penalties for repeat offenders.
  • Javier del Pino underscores the surprising alliances ("los dos convergen hacia Junts en el momento en que más abiertamente dicen necesitarlo", 05:02).
• Strategic Calculations: Each party frames the alliance differently; PSOE emphasizes consensus, PP distances itself from a perceived three-way pact, and Vox also supports the reform.
  • Josué Coello: "A pesar de lo insólito que vivimos ayer en el Congreso... los protagonistas difieren en sus lecturas..." (05:15).

3. Extremadura Election Campaigns and National Impact

[06:11-09:19]

• PSOE's Challenges: Embattled by cases of corruption and mishandling of sexual harassment allegations, PSOE approaches the regional campaign with diminished morale and strategic vulnerabilities.
  • Ángeles Blanco: “El PSOE afronta una campaña muy difícil, con el ánimo muy tocado…” (06:41).
• PP's Balancing Act: The PP expects to win but faces the rise of Vox, which could complicate governance and force uncomfortable alliances.
  • David Junquera on Vox's rise: "El regusto agrio lo puede dejar el vigor de Vox.” (08:18).
• Messaging and Rivalry: Both sides weaponize the Hospital de Torrejón scandal in campaign rhetoric, emphasizing the contrast between “patients” vs. “clients.”
  • Memorable moment (07:06): “Son pacientes, no clientes.” — Unnamed PSOE speaker

4. PSOE Internal Crises: Corruption and Mismanagement of Sexual Harassment Allegations

[09:19-11:19]

• Ongoing Scandals: Corruption and a lack of decisive response to sexual harassment claims threaten the party’s integrity, especially its feminist credentials.
  • Javier del Pino: “Pero el presidente no dijo ni una palabra acerca del caso, que en este momento castiga al partido y cuestiona una de sus grandes banderas, que es la feminista.” (09:55).
• Internal Dissension: High-profile figures like Adriana Lastra and Andrea Fernández demand a firmer, more public stance.
  • Guillermo Lerma recounts the critical voices within PSOE (10:29).
• No Immediate Referral to Prosecutor: Party leadership hesitates to escalate the case to the fiscalía, pending internal processes and complainants’ consent.

Notable Quotes

"Claro que las mujeres están con el PSOE, como siempre, como siempre. No nos dejemos intoxicar de tanta mala noticia y de tan mal rollo. Sabemos lo que somos y lo que defendemos.”
— Blanca Martín, Presidenta de la Asamblea de Extremadura (10:53)

“Sigo a las recibir explicaciones convincentes o... Me encuentro. Disgustada y muy dolida.”
— Ángeles Blanco, summarizing party voices (10:21)

5. Galicia: Threats to Victims’ Protection in Police Funding Row

[11:19-12:32]

• Controversial Negotiation: The Xunta de Galicia threatens to withdraw protection for victims of gender-based violence unless the central government increases police funding and numbers.
  • Ricardo Rodríguez: “Víctimas de violencia machista como moneda de cambio y a una profunda indignación…” (11:43).
  • The threat would impact 650 protected women.

6. Judicial and Government News

[12:34-15:22]

• Valencian Floods Inquiry: Critical emergency alert delayed due to linguistic quibbles, contributing to disaster outcomes.
  • Ricardo Rodríguez: "Según Jorge Suárez, el envío del mensaje de alerta se retrasó para hacer correcciones lingüísticas..." (13:16).
• Begoña Gómez Case: Madrid's provincial court rescinds charges against a delegate due to lack of evidence, criticizing the original judge’s reasonings (14:28).
  • Alfonso Gea reads from the court's firm conclusions.
• Prosecutor General Candidacy: Teresa Peramato testifies in Congress, pledges to "sanar heridas" within the Fiscalía (15:32).
  • Peramato: "Es una profunda herida que atraviesa la Fiscalía española y que ha de sanar." (15:32).

7. Spain Exits Eurovision

[15:50-16:18]

• First time in 64 years: Due to disagreement with Israel’s participation and rule changes, Spain, along with several other European countries, pulls out of Eurovision 2025.
  • Sergio Soto reports the broader European context and reactions (15:50).

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• “Utilizarlos hasta 10 veces aunque su etiquetado marcaba con claridad que debían desecharlos…”
  — Javier del Pino on the catheter scandal (00:11)
• “Solo se puede enviar a una empresa especializada y externa para intentar reacondicionar.”
  — Sergio Soto clarifying medical protocols (00:51)
• “Ese tipo de manifestaciones, ese tipo de conductas son contrarias a los principios básicos que debe de regir la sanidad en nuestro país...”
  — Josué Coello quoting Feijóo’s call for accountability (03:27)
• "Son pacientes, no clientes."
  — PSOE campaign line (07:06)
• "Esperemos que cuanto antes acaben los trabajos de ese comité antiacoso y que esto acabe evidentemente en fiscalía."
  — Ángeles Blanco on internal PSOE pressure (10:13)
• “No se proporciona el más mínimo indicio de que la hora delegado del Gobierno en Madrid debiera ejercer una labor de control de la asistente de Begoña Gómez, ni consta tampoco que supiera que ella pudo excederse en sus funciones.”
  — Alfonso Gea reading Madrid court’s ruling (14:28)
• “Es una profunda herida que atraviesa la Fiscalía española y que ha de sanar.”
  — Teresa Peramato, candidate for Fiscal General (15:32)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:11-04:20] – Hospital de Torrejón, sanitary negligence, and health privatization debate
• [04:33-06:11] – Penal Code reform, party strategies, and alliances
• [06:11-09:19] – Extremadura regional campaign analysis, national implications
• [09:19-11:19] – PSOE’s internal crises: corruption and harassment cover-ups
• [11:19-12:32] – Galicia police funding standoff and violence protection threats
• [12:34-15:22] – Judicial news: flood disaster management, Begoña Gómez case, Fiscal General candidacy
• [15:50-16:18] – Spain withdraws from Eurovision

Tone, Style, and Final Thoughts

As usual for Hoy por Hoy, the tone is incisive, critical, and at times indignant—especially surrounding health and political scandals. The reporting is fact-driven but laced with pointed commentary, especially where management practices in healthcare, party accountability, and public services are concerned. Key voices repeatedly return to the importance of ethical standards, transparency, and the well-being of ordinary people as measures of true governance.